Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah
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Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah (also Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadl-Allāh; ar, محمد حسين فضل الله; 16 November 1935 – 4 July 2010) was a prominent twelver Shia cleric from a Lebanese family. Born in Najaf, Iraq, Fadlallah studied Islam in Najaf before moving to Lebanon in 1952. In the following decades, he gave many lectures, engaged in intense scholarship, wrote dozens of books, founded several
Islamic religious schools Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , Plural, pl. , ) is the Arabs, Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. T ...
, and established the ''Mabarrat Association''. Through the aforementioned association, he established a
public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...
, a women's cultural center, and a medical clinic. Fadlallah was sometimes called the "spiritual mentor" of
Hezbollah Hezbollah (; ar, حزب الله ', , also transliterated Hizbullah or Hizballah, among others) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, led by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah since 1992. Hezbollah's parami ...
in the media, although this was disputed by other sources. He was also the target of several assassination attempts, including the
1985 Beirut car bombing On 8 March 1985, a car bomb exploded between 9 and 45 metres from the house of Shia cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah in Beirut, Lebanon, in a failed assassination attempt by a Lebanese counter-terrorism unit linked to the Central Intelli ...
. His death was followed by a huge turnout in Lebanon, visits by virtually all major political figures across the Lebanese spectrum, and statements of condolence from across the greater Middle East region; but it also led to controversy in the west and a denunciation in Israel.


Early life

Fadlallah was born in the Iraqi Shia shrine city of Najaf on 16 November 1935. His parents, Abdulraouf Fadlullah and al-Hajja Raoufa Hassan Bazzi, had migrated there from the village of
'Aynata Aynata ( ar, عيناتا) is a village in Lebanon. It is located in the southern portion of the country. A stronghold for Hezbollah, during the 2006 Lebanon War, war with Israel in 2006, about 60% of the homes in the town were destroyed. The t ...
in south Lebanon in 1928 to learn theology. By the time of his birth, his father was already a Muslim scholar.


Education

Fadlallah went first to a traditional school (Kuttāb) to learn the Quran and the basic skills of reading and writing. He soon left and went to a more "modern" school that was established by the publisher Jamiat Muntada Al-Nasher where he remained for two years and studied in the third and fourth elementary classes. At these schools he began studying the religious sciences at a very young age. He started to read the
Al-Ajurrumiyya ''al-Ājurrūmiyyah'' (Arabic: الْآجُرُّومِيَّةِ) in full ' is a 13th-century book of Arabic grammar (نحو عربي naḥw ʿarabī). Very concise for easy memorization, it formed the foundation of a beginner's education in Cl ...
when he was nine years old, and then he read Qatr al-Nada wa Bal Al-Sada (Ibn Hisham). He completed Sutouh in which the student reads the book and listens to his teacher's explanation. He also studied the Arabic language, logic and Jurisprudence, and did not need another teacher until he studied the second part of the course known as Kifayat at Usul which he studied with an Iranian teacher named Sheikh mujtaba Al-Linkarani. He attended the so-called Bahth Al-Kharij in which the teacher does not restrict himself to a certain book but gives more or less free lectures. Fadlallah published a minor periodical before going to Lebanon. At the age of ten, he put out a handwritten literary journal with some of his friends.


Return to Lebanon

After 21 years of studying under the prominent teachers of the Najaf religious university he concluded his studies in 1966 and returned to Lebanon. He had already visited Lebanon in 1952 where he recited a poem eulogizing
Muhsin al Amin Al-Sayyed Mohsen al-Amin (b.1284/1867-d.1371/1952), also transliterated Muhsin al Amin, was a Shia scholar, biographer, traditionist, and jurist. He was born in Jabal Amil, Lebanon. His most important work is ''A'yan al-Shi'a''. Early life and ...
at his funeral. In 1966 Fadlallah received an invitation from a group who had established a society called "The family of Fraternity" (جمعية أسرة التآخي Jam'iyat Usrat at-Ta'akhi) to come and live with them in the area of Naba'a in Eastern Beirut. He agreed, especially as the conditions at Najaf impelled him to leave. In Naba'a Fadlallah began his work, by organising cultural seminars and delivering religious speeches that discussed social issues as well. Nevertheless, Fadlallah's main concern was to continue to develop his academic work. Thus he founded a religious school called the Islamic Sharia Institute in which several students enrolled who later became prominent religious scholars including Sheikh Ragib Harb. He also established a
public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...
, a women's cultural centre and a medical clinic. When the Lebanese Civil War forced him to leave the area, he moved to the Southern Suburbs where he started to give priority to teaching and educating the people. He used the mosque as his centre for holding daily prayers giving lessons in Qur'anic interpretation, as well as religious and moral speeches, especially on religious occasions such as
Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...
. He soon resumed his academic work and began to give daily lessons in Islamic principles, jurisprudence and morals. In 1982 Dawa unites with other Islamic Shia armed organizations (
Islamic Amal Islamic Amal (in Arabic أمل الإسلامية) was a Lebanese Shia military movement based in Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley, Islamic Amal was led by Husayn Al-Musawi, who was also a leading figure in Hezbollah. The movement got its start in June ...
, Islamic Jihad Organization, Jundallah and Imam Hussein suicide squad) to found
Hezbollah Hezbollah (; ar, حزب الله ', , also transliterated Hizbullah or Hizballah, among others) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, led by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah since 1992. Hezbollah's parami ...
.


Hezbollah connection

He has been variously attributed by the media as being the spiritual leader of Hezbollah. ''Al Manar'' said he had "inspired the leaders" of the group. It added that "From the pulpit of the Imam Rida mosque in the Bir al-Abd neighborhood, Sayyed Fadlullah's sermons gave shape to the political currents among mainly the Muslim Shiite sect
f Lebanon F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...
from the latter half of the 1980s till the last days of his life." Other sources, such as journalist Robert Fisk, also refuted such claims that he was affiliated with the group.


Assassination attempts

As one of the alleged leaders of Hezbollah, a status both he and the group denied he was the target of several assassination attempts, including the allegedly CIA-sponsored and funded 8 March
1985 Beirut car bombing On 8 March 1985, a car bomb exploded between 9 and 45 metres from the house of Shia cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah in Beirut, Lebanon, in a failed assassination attempt by a Lebanese counter-terrorism unit linked to the Central Intelli ...
that killed 80 people. On 8 March 1985, a
car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...
equivalent to of
dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germa ...
exploded 9–45 metres from his house in Beirut, Lebanon. The blast destroyed a 7-story apartment building and a cinema, killed 80 people and wounded 256. The attack was timed to go off as worshippers were leaving Friday Prayers. Most of the dead were girls and women who had been leaving the mosque, though the ferocity of the blast "burned babies in their beds," "killed a bride buying her trousseau," and "blew away three children as they walked home from the mosque." It also "devastated the main street of the densely populated" West Beirut suburb. but Fadlallah escaped injury. Journalist Robin Wright quotes articles in ''The Washington Post'' and ''The New York Times'' as saying that according to the CIA, those responsible for the bombing were "Lebanese intelligence personnel and other foreigners" who had been "undergoing CIA training" but that "this was not our IAoperation and it was nothing we planned or knew about." "Alarmed U.S. officials subsequently canceled the covert training operation" in Lebanon, according to Wright. According to Bob Woodward, CIA director William Casey was involved in the attack, which he suggests was carried out with funding from Saudi Arabia. "In his book Woodward portrays Casey as a wily and aggressive director who made the CIA his personal instrument of foreign policy. In early 1985 Woodward reports, Casey went "off the books" to enlist Saudi help in carrying out three covert operations. One was the attempted assassination of Sheik Fadlallah, who had been linked to the bombings in Beirut. After that plot failed, Woodward writes, the Saudis offered Fadlallah a $2 million bribe to cease his terrorist attacks. He accepted, and the attacks stopped. Woodward's account of the incident was denied last week by the Saudi press agency and by Fadlallah's office." Former Lebanese warlord and statesman late Elie Hobeika was accused as one of those likely responsible for the actual operation. During the
2006 Israel-Hezbollah war The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War ( ar, حرب تموز, ''Ḥarb Tammūz'') and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War ( he, מלחמת לבנון השנייה, ''Milhemet Leva ...
, Israeli warplanes bombed his two-story house in Beirut's southern Haret Hreik neighborhood. Fadlallah was not at home at the time of the bombing, which reduced the house to rubble.


Views

He supported the
Iranian Islamic Revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
. In his sermons, he called for armed resistance to the Israeli occupations of Lebanon, the West Bank, and the
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...
, along with opposition to the existence of Israel. He held relatively liberal views on the status of women. When he died in 2010, TIME magazine wrote about his contrarian stance: "Fadlallah had broken with Hizballah and the toxic legacy of his early edicts. He criticized Iran's clerical rule, supported women's rights and insisted on dialogue with the West."


U.S. foreign policy

He has asked for a boycott of American products. This boycott should become an overwhelming trend that makes these two states feel that their economies are in a real and actual danger.)) In November 2007, Fadlallah accused the United States of trying to sabotage the election in Lebanon: "The insanity of the U.S. president and its administration is reflected in Lebanon by their ambassador pressuring the Lebanese people and preventing them from reaching an agreement over the presidential election." Though he welcomed the election of Barack Obama as the American president, the following year he expressed disappointment with Obama's lack of progress in the Middle East peace process saying he appeared to have no plan to bring peace to the region.


9/11 criticism

Despite his criticism of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, he condemned the September 11 attacks in the United States as acts of terrorism.


Israel

Fadlallah made statements in favour of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens. In a 2002 interview with '' The Daily Telegraph,'' he said: His support for suicide bombings against Israel were based on the grounds that the latter uses advanced weaponry; it was also claimed that he wished that the state of Israel would cease to exist. Following the
Mercaz HaRav massacre The 2008 Jerusalem yeshiva attack was a mass shooting attack that occurred on 6 March 2008, in which a lone Palestinian gunman shot multiple students at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva, a religious school in Jerusalem, after which the gunman himself w ...
, Fadlallah called the attack "heroic." Western sources also cite his favour for suicide bombings against Israeli citizens. Fadlallah explained the religious basis for suicide attacks in an interview with '' Daily Star''. In September 2009, Fadlallah issued a ''fatwa'' banning normalisation of ties with Israel. He also objected to any territorial settlement, saying "the entire land of Palestine within its historical borders is one Arab-Islamic country and no one has right to spare on inch of it." Another English translation (from the Arabic in ''Al Akhbar'') was given in ''The Daily Middle East Reporter''.Fadlallah Bans "Any Form of Normalization" with Israel
15 September 2009


Islamic governance

Despite his ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Fadlallah distanced himself from the
Ayatollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini, Imam Khomeini ( , ; ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian political and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the founder of ...
's legacy of Veleyat-e Faqih as theocratic rule by Islamic clerics was said to argue that "no Shia religious leader, not even Khomeini… has a monopoly on the truth." He also first endorsed Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani rather than Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei ( fa, سید علی حسینی خامنه‌ای, ; born 19 April 1939) is a Twelver Shia ''marja and the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran, in office since 1989. He was previously the third president o ...
as the
marja Marja may refer to: * Marja (name), a Finnish and Dutch female given name * Marjah, Afghanistan, an unincorporated agricultural district in Nad Ali District, Helmand Province * Marja', a Shia authority See also * Maarja Maarja is an Estonia ...
for Shia in matters of religion, before claiming the role for himself. In a 2009 interview, Fadlallah said that he did not believe wilayat al-faqih has a role in modern Lebanon.


Women

Fadlallah was known for his relatively liberal views on women, whom he sees as equal to men. He believed that women have just as much of a responsibility towards society as men do, and women should be role models for both men and women. Fadlallah also believed that women have the same exact ability as men to fight their inner weaknesses. He saw the
hijab In modern usage, hijab ( ar, حجاب, translit=ḥijāb, ) generally refers to headcoverings worn by Muslim women. Many Muslims believe it is obligatory for every female Muslim who has reached the age of puberty to wear a head covering. While ...
as something that makes a man see a woman not as a sex object, but instead as a human being. He believes, like all of his peers in the Islamic seminary that women should cover their entire body except for their face and hands, and that they should avoid wearing excessive makeup when they go out in public. Fadlallah also issued a ''
fatwa A fatwā ( ; ar, فتوى; plural ''fatāwā'' ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (''sharia'') given by a qualified '' Faqih'' (Islamic jurist) in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist i ...
'' on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women that supports the right of a woman to defend herself against any act of violence whether ''social'' or ''physical''. The fatwa reaffirms the rights of women, both at their workplace and at home, and states that Islam forbids men from exercising any form of violence against women and forbids men from depriving women of their legal rights. In his words "physical violence in which women are beaten, proves that these men are weak, for only the weak are in need of unjust violence". He also issued ''fatwa''s forbidding female circumcision and
honour killings An honor killing (American English), honour killing (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), or shame killing is the murder of an individual, either an outsider or a member of a family, by someone seeking to protect wha ...
.


Abortion

He was opposed to abortion in most cases; however, when the women is in an abnormal amount of danger by the pregnancy, he believed it was permissible.


Amman Message

He was one of the Ulama signatories of the Amman Message, which gives a broad foundation for defining Muslim orthodoxy.


Controversial views regarding Islamic doctrine

Fadlallah held controversial views regarding Islamic doctrine, as espoused in some of his works and speeches. He also issued many fatwas and opinions that courted controversy, for which he was condemned and not supported by other eminent Islamic scholars, including a representative of Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani, the office of Grand Ayatollah Mirza Jawad Tabrizi, in the holy city of Qom, released a statement that "any help to or cooperation with him in publishing his writings is not legal with respect to Islam". He was also condemned by Grand Ayatollahs
Bashir al-Najafi Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Basheer Hussain Najafi ( ar, آية الله العظمى بشير النجفي) (born 1942) is a Pakistani Twelver Shia Marja' and one of the Four Grand Ayatollahs of Najaf, Iraq. He was born in Jalandhar, a city in then ...
, Hossein Waheed Khorasani, Mohammad al-Husayni al-Shirazi,
Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq al-Husayni al-Shirazi ( ar, صادق الحسيني الشيرازي; fa, سید صادق حسینی شیرازی; born August 20, 1942) is an Iraqi-Iranian Shia marja'. He hails from an influential transnational cl ...
and others.


Social work

Fadlallah was quoted as saying, "We have to improve our education and gain more scientific knowledge. If we do not make the best of our time now, we will not be able to build our future or develop in the future." In addition to the academic work that Fadlallah did, he also opened up schools, Islamic centres, and orphanages:


Schools

# The Imam Al-Khoei Orphanage, Beirut (Dawha) # Imam Al-Baqir Secondary school, Beka`a (Hirmil) # Imam Al-Jawed Secondary school, Beka`a (Ali Nahri) # Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib school, South Lebanon (Ma`roub) # Imam Hassan Secondary school, Beirut (Ruwais) # Al-Mujtaba Secondary School, Beirut (Hay Al-Salum) # Imam Ja`afar As-Sadiq school, South Lebanon (Jwaya) # Al-Kauther Secondary school, Beirut (Bir Hassan) # Imam Hussein School, Beka`a (Suh`mour), ''under construction'' # Ali Al-Akbar Vocational Institute Beirut (Doha)


Islamic centres

# The large Islamic Center, Beirut (Haret Hreik)Consists of the Al-Imamain Hassnian Mosque, the Zah`ra Hall and the Islamic Cultural Center. # Imam Hasan Askari Center Beka`a'(Sira'in) # Imam Hussein Center-Beka`a(Jlala) # Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib center South Lebanon.(AL-Hawzah-Sour) # Ahl Al-Beit Mosque Beka`a' (Rayak) # Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq Mosque Beka`a (Hirmil) # Ahl Al-Beit Center, North Lebanon (Tripoli) # Sayyida Zaynab Mosque, Beka`a (Baalbeck)


Orphanages

# Imam Al-Khoei Orphanage (Beirut-Doha) # Imam Zein Al-Abidine (A.S.) Orphanage Biqaa(Hirmil). # Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib (A.S.) Orphanage, South Lebanon. (The Ma`roub-Sour road) # Virgin Mary Orphanage (A.S.) South Lebanon(Jiwaya). # Al- Sayyida Khadijah Al-Kubraa (A.S.) Orphanage, Beirut (Bir-Hassan). # The Zaynab (A.S.) Orphanage West Biqaa (Suh`mour) Under construction.


Death

Fadlallah was hospitalized several times in the months before his death, suffering from internal bleeding. His frailty prevented him from delivering Friday sermons in the weeks preceding his death. Fadlallah's media office announced his death at Al-Hassanein Mosque in the southern Beirut suburb of Haret Hureik on 4 July 2010. He was 74. His office said the funeral was scheduled for 6 July at 13:30 p.m. leaving from his house, his burial to be in Al-Hasanein Mosque. His family received condolences at the mosque. The day was also declared by Lebanon as a day of national mourning. The cabinet's General Secretariat said all public institutions and administrations, headquarters of municipalities, private and public schools and universities would be closed. The
Lebanese flag The national flag of Lebanon ( ar, علم لبنان) is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe. The white stripe is twice the height (width) of the red ones (ratio 1:2:1)—a Spanish fess. The green cedar (L ...
would be lowered to half-mast in public institutions and administration and the headquarters of municipalities. Radio and television programmes would also be "adjusted in line with the painful occasion." At his funeral, his supporters carried his body around Shia neighbourhoods in southern Beirut, then marched to the spot of his 1985 assassination attempt before returning to Imam Rida Mosque, where he was laid to rest. Thousands of mourners gathered at the mosque for prayer services before the funeral procession. Delegations included representatives from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Syria and Iran. Thousands of his followers also gathered outside his mosque in Haret Hreik. ''Al-Manar'' broadcast the funeral. They said thousands of his followers took part in his funeral and told "his eminence for the last time their 'own secrets' and vowing to stay committed to his path. They told him that even if he has died, he will remain the ideal and the model for them, that even if he has died, his eminence will remain a great man in the eyes of all those who had the chance to know him, and his views will continue to circulate from one generation to another". Al-Manar said his followers "launched a school of beliefs and thoughts, a school that would always be committed to the main causes of Islam, from Jihad to Resistance, and face all foreign threats against the region." It claimed that Fadlallah "committed to the central cause,
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
, calling to fight occupation through all possible means. His eminence issued different '
fatwa A fatwā ( ; ar, فتوى; plural ''fatāwā'' ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (''sharia'') given by a qualified '' Faqih'' (Islamic jurist) in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist i ...
's calling to fight Israel and boycott American goods and ban normalizing of relations, and was a 'true supporter' of Islamic unity all over his life. In his last moments before his death, Sayyed Fadlullah was still preoccupied with the cause. He was asking about the dawn prayers and telling his nurse that he wouldn't rest before Israel's vanishing."


Reactions

* Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri, called him "a voice of moderation and an advocate of unity" for the Lebanese people. Hezbollah declared three days of mourning and Secretary General
Hasan Nasrallah Hassan Nasrallah ( ar, حسن نصر الله ; born 31 August 1960) is a Lebanese cleric and political leader who has served as the 3rd secretary-general of Hezbollah since his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi, was assassinated by the Israel De ...
vowed to stay faithful to the "sacred goals" he had "sacrificed his life to achieve." He added that "we have lost a compassionate father, a wise guide, a fortified shelter, and a strong support that was present at all stages. ewas all the above mentioned for us and for the whole religious and resistant generation since we were youngsters praying behind him. This is what his eminence was to us, and to all this faithful, struggling, and resisting generation, since the time we were youths praying in his assembly (congregational prayers), guided by his words, and learning beneath his pulpit. In his school, he taught us to advocate with wisdom and kind preaching, to be people of dialogue with others, to reject tyranny, to resist occupation, to adore meeting God the Almighty with certitude, and to be people of patience, steadfastness, and determination even with all the calamities, hardships, and distress we face. To us, he was the teacher, instructor, the knowledge, and the light that lights up our way through every hardship. His pure soul, enlightened intellect, kind words, compassionate smile, chaste biography, and firm stances will remain within us as a guide, conduit, and progressing strong motive that pushes us forth to continuous hard work and
jihad Jihad (; ar, جهاد, jihād ) is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it can refer to almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with Go ...
." He visited Fadlallah's family to express condolences on behalf of Hezbollah. The Loyalty to the Resistance bloc offered its condolences to the country adding that the country "loyal to his eminence's values and principles would continue his path with more enthusiasm to achieve his human goals of freedom and justice." The Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri said the Islamic nation has lost "a leading advocate of Muslim unity and a resounding voice supporting what is right and just, and resisting injustice and aggression". He praised Fadlallah as one of the most prominent pillars of coexistence among cultures and religions in Lebanon, calling him a "backer of the resistance until his last breath". A delegation from his parliamentary
Liberation and Development parliamentary bloc Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * Liberation (film series), ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * Liberation (The Flash), "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * Liberatio ...
also visited the clerics' family. Phalange leader
Amin Gemayel Amine Pierre Gemayel ( ar, أمين بيار الجميٌل ; (born 22 January 1942) is a Lebanese Maronite politician who served as President of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988. Born in Bikfaya, his father was Pierre Gemayel, the founder of the K ...
and a delegation of his party's MPs, former Premier and Sidon MP
Fouad Siniora Fouad Siniora ( ar, فؤاد السنيورة, translit=Fu'ād as-Sanyūrah; born 19 July 1943) is a Lebanese politician, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon, a position he held from 19 July 2005 to 25 May 2008. He stepped down on 9 November 2009 ...
, the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel-Karim, Lebanese Army commander General
Jean Kahwaji Jean Kahwaji (, ar, جان قهوجي; born 1953) is a former Lebanese military officer and Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces from 2008 to 2017. Career Kahwaji joined the Lebanese army in 1973. He trained abroad, especially in the United ...
, head of the Free Patriotic Movement and Kesrouan MP
Michel Aoun Michel Naim Aoun ( ar, ميشال نعيم عون ; born 30 September 1933) is a Lebanese politician and former military general who served as the President of Lebanon from 31 October 2016 until 30 October 2022. Born in Haret Hreik to a Mar ...
, accompanied by a delegation from his Change and Reform bloc and Beirut Metropolitan for Greek Orthodox Bishop Elias Audi, heading a number of religious figures. paid their respects at Fadlallah's death as well. Fadlallah's followers remembered him fondly for his compassion, his support of women's rights, and his teachings on topics such as sex and smoking. The day after the funeral Mufti Mohamad Rashid Qabbani, former Prime Minister
Omar Karame Omar Abdul Hamid Karami (last name also spelled Karamé and Karameh) ( ar, عمر عبد الحميد كرامي; 7 September 1934 – 1 January 2015) was the 29th prime minister of Lebanon, who served two separate terms. He was Prime Minis ...
, the head of the Marada movement
Suleiman Franjieh Suleiman Kabalan Frangieh, last name also spelled ''Frangié,'' ''Franjieh,'' or ''Franjiyeh'' (, 15 June 1910 – 23 July 1992), was a Lebanese Maronite politician who was President of Lebanon from 1970 to 1976. Early life and education Sulei ...
, former Iraqi Prime Ministers
Ibrahim Jaafari Ibrahim Abd al-Karim al-Eshaiker ( ar, إبراهيم عبد الكريم الأشيقر; born 25 March 1947), also known as Ibrahim al-Jaafari, is an Iraqi politician who was Prime Minister of Iraq in the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 ...
and
Iyad Allawi Ayad Allawi ( ar, إيَاد عَلَّاوِي ; born 31 May 1944) is an Iraqi politician. He served as the vice president of Iraq from 2014 to 2015 and 2016 to 2018. Previously he was interim prime minister of Iraq from 2004 to 2005 and the ...
, the head of the Lebanese Democratic Movement Talal Arslan, the Egyptian ambassador Ahmad Badyawi, MP's Gebran Bassil, Ibrahim Najjar,
Salim Warde Salim, Saleem or Selim may refer to: People *Salim (name), or Saleem or Salem or Selim, a name of Arabic origin *Salim (poet) (1800–1866) *Saleem (playwright) (fl. 1996) *Selim I, Selim II and Selim III, Ottoman Sultans * Selim people, an eth ...
, and George Odwan came to the mosque to offer their condolences. Additional visitors included Ali al-Adib on behalf of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Sami al-Jawad representing former Speaker
Kamel al-Asaad Kamel ( ar, كامل }) is a given name meaning ''perfect'' or ''the perfect one''. It may refer to: People with the given name Kamel * Abdullah Kamel Abdullah Kamel Al Kandari (born 1973), Kuwaiti extrajudicial prisoner of the United States * ...
, Director General of Internal Security Forces Major General Ashraf Rifi, Bishop
Elias Kfouri Elias is the Greek equivalent of Elijah ( he, אֵלִיָּהוּ‎ ''ʾĒlīyyāhū''; Syriac language, Syriac: ܐܠܝܐ ''Eliyā''; Arabic language, Arabic: الیاس Ilyās, Ilyās/Elyās), a prophet in the Kingdom of Israel (Samaria), North ...
. Nasrallah also received the ''Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic'' Sheikh
Mohammad Rashid Qabbani Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
who offered his condolences. A statement released by Hezbollah said the two discussed Fadlallah's "glorious deeds and the big loss caused by his death to Lebanon and the nation." Although representatives of Shia, Sunni, Druze, Christian, and other non-religious figures expressed regret at Fadlullah's death, the conspicuous absence of Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Sfeir Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir ('; ar, الكاردينال مار نصر الله بطرس صفير; la, Victor Petrus Sfeir; 15 May 1920 – 12 May 2019) was the patriarch of Lebanon's largest Christian body, the Maronite Church, an Eastern Catholic ...
was viewed as a "boycott" by '' Al-Akhbar'', because of Fadlallah's response to Sfeir's comments about the rule of the majority and the opposition of the minority in Lebanon. *'' Al Manar'' had its own tribute for him saying "Dubbed by the media as the "Spiritual Leader" of the Islamic resistance "Hezbollah", in Lebanon, Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlullah inspired the leaders for the resistance group, and served as a highly influential beacon of truth for all the oppressed peoples of the world." Adding that "Fadlullah was not only a Muslim reference and authority but rather one of the most prominent contemporary religious authorities in the Islamic World. His great experience in teaching jurisprudence as well as his constant monitoring of the latest trends and literature of the major religious schools have enabled him to launch his own school and to be followed by thousands of Muslim believers in Lebanon and the region". They added that Fadlallah united Lebanon after his death, saying he was "able to deliver a message of unity and peace to all Lebanese, a message of commitment to all values and principles, at the top of which comes the recognition of the patriots. Through his sorrowful death, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah accomplished his mission and joined Lebanese, all Lebanese regardless of their identities and sects, around him. With his sad death, Ayatollah Sayyed Fadlullah made the headlines in Lebanon and the region as his lovers and supporters were unable to believe that this great man has actually passed away." Other media outlets in Lebanon also offered tributes to Fadlallah. '' Assafir'' noted the religious diversity of people at his funeral as well delegations from Syria, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and other countries that were present. Al-Liwa, Asharq, and Addiyar also had headline articles on his death. *His family thanked Hezbollah's Secretary General and leadership for the consolations they expressed. *The '' Organisation of the Islamic Conference'' issued a statement lamenting the death with great affection and sorrow. "Sayyed Fadlullah's death represents a great death to the Islamic nation, where he lived loyal in serving his country and his nation's issues, presenting a symbol in rapprochement between sects. With his death, the
Islamic nation An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ' ...
loses one of the most prominent Islamic figures, who played a great role in supporting the Islamic solidarity." * King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa also sent his to Fadlallah's family expressing his sincere condolences to the family, and prayed for the Fadlallah's soul to rest in eternal peace. He also praised Fadlullah's scientific and religious contributions in the service of Islam and Muslims. * In Iraq, Ali al-Adeeb, a senior member of the Dawa party, called his death a major loss to the Islamic world adding that: "It will be hard to replace him". In Fadlallah's birthplace, however, his death was met with a chilly reception without banners or open displays of mourning as clergy in Najaf expressed discomfort over his legacy and liberal values. * The Supreme Leader of Iran
Ali Khamenei Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei ( fa, سید علی حسینی خامنه‌ای, ; born 19 April 1939) is a Twelver Shia ''marja and the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran, in office since 1989. He was previously the third president o ...
cabled his condolences to Fadlullah's family and his supporters saying "This great intellectual and Mujahid had a huge impact and influence in the political and religious scenes in Lebanon. We won't forget his numerous favors and blessings throughout the years. Sayyed Fadlullah was loyal to the path of the Islamic Revolution and proved this through words and actions throughout the Islamic Republic's thirty years." The Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran. Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said Fadlallah was an ideal fit to the Hadith that says "The death of a religious scholar causes such a void in Islam that nothing can fill up." Adding that he was an ideal struggler scholar, and the number of assassination attempts he faced for his path are the biggest honour. President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدی‌نژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956),
expressed his condolences to Lebanese President Michel Suleiman saying "The brilliant and valuable service of the honourable cleric for national unity and his perseverance with the resistance will live on in the history of Lebanon." Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki sent his condolences to Lebanese officials such as Hasan Nasrallah, Nabih Berri, his Lebanese counterpart
Ali Shami ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 common era, CE) was the last of four Rashidun, Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was ...
, and Fadlallah's son,
Ali Fadlallah ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
, expressing his condolences to the Lebanese government and people, as well as to Fadlallah's family. Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani issued a statement emphasizing that Fadlallah "spent his blessed life in favor of Islam and the Lebanese people," while noting that he used to observe situations with a critical view and bright mind, while enlightening Muslims at the right times, he also used to build an obstacle for the enemy. An Iranian delegation headed by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati was present for the funeral. * An Israeli spokesman said Ayatollah Fadlallah was "unworthy of praise". They also criticised Britain's ambassador to Lebanon for eulogising him. * Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah also sent his condolences to the family of Fadlallah saying he prayed to Almighty Allah to have mercy on the soul of the deceased. National Assembly Speaker
Jassem Mohammed Al-Khorafi Jasim ( ar, جاسم, also spelled Jasem) is a small city in the Izra' District of the Daraa Governorate in southern Syria. It is located 41 kilometers north of Daraa and is near the towns of Nawa, Syria, Nawa to the south, Kafr Shams to the north, ...
also sent a cable of condolences to his Lebanese counterpart consoling him on the death of Fadlallah. Al-Khorafi expressed his heartfelt sorrow at the news, asking God to have mercy on the soul of the deceased. He also sent a similar cable to the family of Fadlullah. * President
Mahmoud Abbas Mahmoud Abbas ( ar, مَحْمُود عَبَّاس, Maḥmūd ʿAbbās; born 15 November 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen ( ar, أَبُو مَازِن, links=no, ), is the president of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian Natio ...
sent his condolences to his Lebanese counterpart. The head of Hamas' Political Bureau, Khaled Meshaal, sent a letter to Fadlallah's son lamenting the loss of his father. "The dear deceased was one of the nation's special and great figures, with his knowledge, grace, moderation, mediation, forgiveness and openness to others, in addition to his courageous stances regarding the nation's issues, especially towards the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Zionist struggle. His eminence was one of the greatest symbols and scholars defending the choice of resistance and Jihad against the occupation, in support of the Palestinian strife and our people's right to freedom, liberty and liberation." An Hamas delegation from Gaza headed by Marwan Abu Ras was also present at the funerary services. * Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani offered condolences to the Lebanese people on behalf of Qatar, its Emir, government and people. Upon arrival in Beirut, al-Thani praised the "commendable attributes of Fadlallah and his relentless efforts in seeking rapprochement and conciliation among various Muslim sects." * Saudi Arabia sent a delegation for the funeral. * Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to offer his condolences and asked to relay them to Fadlallah's family and the Lebanese people. Nasrallah responded in appreciation and for Erdogan's stance on the Palestinian issue. * The British ambassador to Lebanon, Frances Guy, also wrote: "I remember well, when I was nominated ambassador to Beirut, a Muslim acquaintance sought me out to tell me how lucky I was because I would get a chance to meet Sayyed Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah. Truly he was right...I usually avoid answering by referring to those I enjoy meeting the most and those that impress me the most. Until yesterday my preferred answer was to refer to Sayyed Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah. When you visited him you could be sure of a real debate, a respectful argument and you knew you would leave his presence feeling a better person. That for me is the real effect of a true man of religion; leaving an impact on everyone he meets, no matter what their faith...Lebanon is a lesser place the day after but his absence will be felt well beyond Lebanon's shores. If I was sad to hear the news I know other peoples' lives will be truly blighted. The world needs more men like him willing to reach out across faiths, acknowledging the reality of the modern world and daring to confront old constraints." The UK foreign office said it had taken down the message after "mature consideration." They also added that "the ambassador expressed a personal view on Shiekh Sayyid Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah describing the man as she knew him. We welcomed his progressive views on women's rights and interfaith dialogue but there were also areas where we had profound disagreements, especially over his statements advocating attacks on Israel." * Robert Fisk wrote in '' The Independent'' "I do believe that Fadlallah was a very serious and very important man whose constant sermons on the need for spiritual regeneration and kindness did more good than most in a country constantly flooded in a rhetoric bath. Hundreds of thousands attended his funeral in Beirut on Tuesday. I am not surprised." '' The Telegraph's'' executive foreign editor
Con Coughlin Con Coughlin (born 14 January 1955) is a British journalist and author, currently ''The Daily Telegraph'' defence editor. Early life Coughlin was born in 1955 in London, England. He read Modern History at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he spe ...
wrote an article saying "Don't be fooled by all the tributes that are pouring out following the death in Beirut at the weekend of Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, the so-called spiritual leader of the radical Shi'ite Muslim militia Hizbollah. The U.S. State Department's classification of Fadlallah as a terrorist was spot on, and when you look back at his track record you can see he was right up there with other infamous terror masterminds, such as Abu Nidal and
Carlos the Jackal Ilich Ramírez Sánchez (; born 12 October 1949), also known as Carlos the Jackal ( es, link=no, Carlos el Chacal) or simply Carlos, is a Venezuelan convicted of terrorist crimes, and currently serving a life sentence in France for the 1975 murder ...
." * President Ali Abdullah Saleh also sent his condolences to his Lebanese counterpart. * CNN's Lebanese senior editor of Middle East affairs Octavia Nasr was fired after a '' tweet'' saying she was "Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah...One of Hezbollah's giants I respect da lot." Hezbollah condemned her dismissal. Robert Fisk criticised CNN for the firing saying "Poor old CNN goes on getting more cowardly by the hour. That's why no one cares about it any more."


See also

* Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, maternal cousin of Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah. * Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria


References


Sources

Kramer, Martin (1997)
"The Oracle of Hizbullah: Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah"
Full Text with footnotes published in Appleby, R. Scott
''Spokesmen for the Despised: Fundamentalist Leaders in the Middle East''
pp. 83-181, Chicago, University of Chicago Press (1997), ISBN 978-0-226-02125-6 Ranstorp, Magnus, ''Hizb'allah in Lebanon - The Politics of the Western Hostage Crisis'', Palgrave Macmillan,1997


External links


Official Website (Arabic, English, French, Persian)

Official Website (Persian, Urdu)

The Oracle of Hizbullah: Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah
by Martin Kramer
Sayyed Fadlullah's Funeral… in Photos


{{DEFAULTSORT:Fadlallah, Mohammad Hussein 1935 births 2010 deaths People from Najaf Lebanese politicians Lebanese grand ayatollahs Hezbollah Bazzi family Twelvers Islamic Dawa Party